Siman 301 – Walking and Carrying

1. Do not take large steps even during the week – it damages the eyesight. But on Shabbos, it’s forbidden unless you run to shul or another mitzva. (ShA 1 – MB 1)

2. What is considered a large step? More than an amah, which is a half amah space in between each foot – this is the average stride. For a bigger person a “large step” is bigger. (MB 2)

3. Youths who enjoy running and jumping are allowed, l’chatchila, to do so for oneg Shabbos. Similarly, you can run to see something enjoyable on Shabbos. Of course, oneg Shabbos is no excuse to go to the theater etc, which is forbidden to see anytime. (ShA 2 – MB 5 – BeH “kol”)

4. It is ossur to run for exercise on Shabbos – it’s refuah. Even walking with the intention for exercise is a dispute in the poskim. (MB 7)

5. If while walking you encounter a stream of water you are allowed to jump over it. In fact, it is better to jump over than to walk around – you must minimize your walking on Shabbos unless it is oneg for you. (ShA 3 – Rama 2)

6. Do not walk through the water, you might come to wring out your clothes or carry your sandal. (ShA 3, 4)

7. Carrying an object in reshus horabim is ossur Min HaTorah if it is neither worn as clothing nor an ornament. The following are fences Mid’Rabbonon:

1. Carrying in an abnormal way.

**If it is an object that…**

2. …may be taken off in reshus horabim to show someone.

3. …is loose and easily slips off and carried (e.g. a shoe that is too big).

4. …looks bizarre and might be taken off out of embarrassment (e.g. wearing one shoe).

5. …people will suspect you of breaking Shabbos (e.g. wearing armor and weapons).

6. …a woman removes to allow mikva waters onto her skin.

7. …only protects your clothes from soilage (This is a masui).

(BeH “kol” – ShA 7)

8. A ring is an ornament for women only. A man who is a baal nefesh should not go out on Shabbos wearing a ring at all. (MB 34, 38)

9. The minhag Ashkenaz is to permit wearing a silver key as an ornament. This is only when your main intention is for Jewelry, even though you also use the key for unlocking. There is also a hetter to wear a key that doubles as a belt buckle and is attached to the end of the belt. (ShA 11 – MB 42, 45)

10. Spectacles that fit (only?) on the nose are not allowed to be worn in reshus horabim – they might fall off and be unintentionally carried. (MB 44)

11. A pocket watch is forbidden to carry Min HaTorah. It isn’t “worn”. Even if you hang it on a gold chain around your neck it’s ossur – firstly because it has its own chashivus and isn’t bottel to the chain – secondly because the main purpose is to know the time not for Jewelry. Would you wear it if it stops working?

(MB 45 – BeH “ba’zeh”)

12. An example of wearing something to protect clothes from soilage is for a menstruating woman to tie a cloth in front in order to catch the blood. If the cloth fits on like underpants, it is derech malboosh and therefore allowed to be worn outside. Also allowed, is when the cloth is intended to keep her skin clean and comfortable as well – it’s not merely to protect the clothes. (ShA 13 – MB 50)

13. As stated above, derech malboosh is allowed even if you are wearing it only to protect your clothes from rain. For example, an extra hat or an extra thick coat. Therefore, to drape a rainproof cloth over your head is forbidden unless you wrap some of your body with the cloth derech malboosh. Very low-grade material is acceptable even for wealthy people. (ShA 14 – MB 53)

14. As stated above even not derech malboosh is allowed if your intention is also to protect your body. So you can drape something rainproof over you, just make sure it is well fastened. (MB 54)

15. A false limb that might fall off is not allowed to be worn outside on Shabbos. (ShA 15)

16. Some poskim are machmir not to wear slippers out on Shabbos. (Rama 16)

17. Anything that the Rabbonon forbade wearing out of concern that you might come to carry, if you forgot and walked outside wearing it – you are allowed to continue wearing it home because of kavod habrios. (MB 61 – ShaH 64)

18. Do not go out on Shabbos dressed the way you do during the week. Wear something to remind you that it is Shabbos so you won't come to chillul.

(Rama 16)

19. It is oneg Shabbos to wear comfortable Shabbos shoes. (MB 62)

20. Tznius dictates not to go barefoot even during the week. (MB 62)

21. Someone who cannot walk at all without a walking stick is allowed to walk with it outside on Shabbos. (ShA 17 – MB 64)

22. If the walking stick makes holes in the dirt, there still may be room to allow it. (BeH “she’aino”)

23. An ornamental walking stick is not allowed to be carried outside the eruv on Shabbos even if it is your usual practice to carry it. (MB 66)

24. A blind person may not take his tapping-stick outside of the eruv on Shabbos. (ShA 18 – MB 68)

25. A mask is not derech malboosh and is forbidden to wear outside on Shabbos. (ShA 20 – MB 70)

26. Do not walk outside holding a box over your head for rain protection on Shabbos. (ShA 21 – MB 71)

27. You are allowed to go out with a bandage on a wound that protects it from getting scratched. Rinse off the blood first so it won't “dye” the bandage.

(MB 77, 108)

28. Garment accessories such as pockets and rain hoods that are stitched into the garment are allowed to be worn outside on Shabbos. (BeH “shedarko”)

29. Items worn for healing purposes are tachshit and allowed to be worn on Shabbos. Some examples: Medicinal bandages, herbal sachets, proven-to-work komayahs, objects known for segulos. (ShA 22, 24, 25 – MB 105)

30. If the derech to wear a tallis is hanging down on the sides, it’s carrying to fold it up onto the shoulders. But it depends upon where you live. Some places have a derech to wear the tallis folded up and wrapped around the neck. In such locales, wearing the tallis like that is not carrying. (ShA 29, 30 – MB 115)

31. You are allowed to hitch up part of your clothes so they won’t get dirty or so they won’t trip your walking. Do not be lenient to gather up a large portion of the garment and carry it under your arms. (ShA 31 – MB 117)

32. Walking out carrying money in your pocket on Shabbos is ossur Min Hatorah. (MB 119)

33. A pouch that holds muktza money is also muktza because of bosis. (MB 121)

34. Soft felt material used for cushioning can be “worn” over your body out to the reshus harabim. (ShA 35 – MB 131)

35. You are allowed to wear a double-layer of any garment – even if you do not benefit from the outer one, it is derech malboosh. (ShA 36 – MB 133)

36. Avoid wearing one belt over the other unless a garment separates them. If the bottom belt is stitched onto a garment, you can let it hang (it won’t be a masui) and buckle the top belt. (Rama 36 – MB 135)

37. You are allowed to wear a large hat on top of a small one – that’s the derech also during the week. (MB 136)

38. Winter gloves? Be machmir not to wear them in reshus harabim unless they are attached to your coat either with stitching, permanent knots, or with hooks. (ShA 37 – MB 141 – BeH “yoffa”)

39. A tallis is a malboosh, but the tsitsis could be a masui if they are invalid. Not only will you nullify a mitzvah of kosher tsitsis, you will have carried broken tsitsis strings in reshus harabim. (ShA 38 – MB 143)

40. Anything that becomes partially detached from a garment (e.g. belt loop) is bottel as long as you don’t care about it. If you would want to fix it back the way it was, it is chashuv to you and not bottel – do not wear it out on Shabbos. (ShA 39 – MB 150)

41. The Shulchan Aruch forbids wearing a hat with a stiff rim that extends a tefach outwards. You are making a temporary tent and this is forbidden even indoors. The Achronim give reasons why you can be maykil. But in a place that has no minhag to be maykil, you should follow the Shulchan Aruch. (ShA 40 – MB 152)

42. It is a mitzva, l’chatchila, to cover your head with a tallis during tefilla. (ShaH 190)

43. If you wear a hat outside on top of your yarmulka, be sure that it is on tight or that the hat is deep around your head – this way there will be no concern of the wind blowing it off and you're coming to carry it in reshus harabim. Another hetter is a hat with a strap that ties under the chin. (ShA 41 – MB 153)

44. If the hat is your only head covering, there is no concern that you will carry it in your hand since you won’t want to walk with a bare head. (MB 153)

45. Very wet clothes are forbidden to move on Shabbos – you might come to wring them out. However, if you are wearing them, there is no worry. You may continue to wear them until you get other clothes. (Rama 46 – ShA 45 – MB 162)

46. It is maris hoayin to hang out wet clothes on Shabbos (even from sweat) – people will suspect that you just laundered the clothes. Since they suspect you of an issur d’oraisa, maris hoayin applies even inside where no one can see.

(ShA 45, 47 – MB 165)

47. You may hang out dirty looking clothes to dry. Cloth diapers may be hung out even if they do not look so dirty. There is no maris hoayin on such objects.

(MB 164)

48. If you come home from the mikva just before Shabbos, make sure not to hang out your towel after shkia. If it is your only towel and you need it for tomorrow, you may be maykil to hang it out (best done in private) during bain hashmoshos – just don't wring it out. (MB 166 – ShaH 206)

49. If your clothes are soaked (even mildly), you aren't allowed to stand close to the furnace in a place that is yad soleddes – it will “cook” the water. It could be ossur even if your only intention is to warm up. (MB 169 – ShaH 210)

50. You are allowed to dry clothes on the heater only if (#1) the heater is not yad soleddes and (#2) you don't spread the clothes out. Only by spreading them out will people suspect that you laundered them. (MB 170 – ShaH 112)

51. It is best to dry yourself using a cloth that you don't mind getting wet (e.g a towel). (MB 173)